A blog about working in and living in Chicago as an Orthodox single guy over 30.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Torah Mitzion night

Tuesday night is Kollel Torah Mitzion night for me. 7:30-8 is a dinner with food from Ten Li Chow (great establishment of Chinese food, BTW, props to Mrs. Frumhouse) and a shiur on a halachic topic from 8-9 with one of the Kollel Members. Last night it was on the issue of whether the state of Israel is allowed to export arms globally. For example, I think that Israel was involved in the Iran-Contra affair with Oliver North (such a great American).

The source that we turn to is a mishna in Masechet Avodah Zarah that says that a Jew isn't allowed to sell bears or lions to people for fear that they may be used to harm others. Keep in mind that the Mishna was written in the time of the Romans and the Romans sent Christians to the gladiators to fight lions and bears and inevitably they would lose.

I will try to remember more on this topic later, suffice it to say that if Israel is allowed to export arms to other countries it is usually out of self-defense.

At nine I learned a sefer called Orot written by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook Zatzal. Rav Kook was the founder of Religious Zionism from a Halachic and Spiritual point of view. My chavruta, a nice guy named Eran, and I learned the first paragraph which dealt with Eretz Yisrael being the lifeblood of the Jewish people. This isn't something that one would hear or read about in a typical American yeshiva because it presumes that one can reach great spiritual heights in the Diaspora (or Chutz La'Aretz).

The link for Torah Mitzion is www.torahmitzion.org . Rav Kook's sefarim can be found at Jewish bookstores.